Babies Born to be Good, Say Researchers

An expanding body of research suggests people’s moral compasses are active far earlier than previously thought.

Young children and even babies demonstrate attributes such as generosity, empathy and a sense of justice, indicating that far from being born as clean slates, humans seem to have innate altruistic tendencies and are able to make moral choices at a remarkably young age.

A new Canadian (CBC) documentary offers a fascinating exploration of this relatively new and growing area of research. “Babies: Born to be Good?” follows the work of researchers in Canada, the U.S. and China as they test children’s inherent abilities to distinguish right from wrong.